just remember everyone....cable company know nothing about cable cards! NOTHING!

I've read a number of your posts and they are...how do I say this gently...well, mostly erroneous or flat out wrong. As a "newbie" here I know you mean well, but giving out poor or bad advice isn't helpful and may complicate other's situations. Take the time to learn about the subject matter before jumping in and your credibility will grow.

just remember everyone....cable company know nothing about cable cards! NOTHING!

What cable company? FIOS and Comcast here has done rather well with the cable cards I've had installed. Epecially the last install from Comcast. They installed both CC in a TiVoHD at the same time and the tech was out of here lickety split with everything working perfectly. If they didn't know anything about cable cards then they wouldn't have been able to install them.

Well ... we haven't quite archived success yet. Unfortunately there is very poor cell phone coverage here. The installer's Nextel didn't work at all so I let him use my Verizon. After waiting on hold for about 30 minutes he said they "almost had it configured" but then the signal dropped out. Then he tried the wire phone and had to wait another 30 minutes or so. We went through guided setup again and got to the point where the Tivo needed to connect to the phone which wasn't going to work because he wanted to stay on the line. At that point he said everything was done at the Comcast end so I said I'd try it again. He'd been here about three hours and we both needed to leave.

I now have the internet setup. Self install went smoothly and I have wireless going so I can use that instead of the phone. But ... I don't think the cable cards are setup properly. We're only getting basic cable channels. If I restart the Tivo it always comes up with the "information for installers" screen with host info etc on the cards. I'll try it again today. The installer inserted both cards at the same time before I had a chance to suggest otherwise. I wonder if it's worth me pulling the cards out and going through the steps for installers sheet property where you're supposed to insert one and then repeat steps 4 to 7.

Are there any magic words I should use if I need to call Comcast that might point them in the right direction?

First, the tech shouldn't have tried to install both cable cards at the same time...it will not work. They have to pair the first card (which mostly involves installing it, and then the tech calling in the numbers on the install screen) and then pair the second card the same way. For a Series3 the first cable card goes into slot 1 (the bottom slot), then the second card goes into number 2 (the top slot) as seen here. On a TiVo HD the first card goes into the slot marked "1" (the right slot) and then the second into the slot marked "2" as seen here (or in the case of a multi-stream or "M" card, slot number 1 only for the TiVo HD). Cable card installation instructions can also be found at TiVo.com for the Series3 and the TiVo HD.

All of this info and more can be found on the first post of this sticky of course.

There probably isn't anything you can do at the moment other than getting another appointment. You could try pulling the cards and installing them in the correct order, but it's likely they will have to be re-paired/re-hit. Most Comcast offices won't allow you to pair the cable cards yourself (although, again, it's usually just a matter of reading the numbers on the screen). They usually insist on a truck roll. So best bet is to call them and tell them that you need your cable cards reinstalled. Be sure you give the tech the TiVo installation guideline sheet. If he/she follows each step properly it will be fine.

One of my cablecards seems to have lost authorization (series 3). I've tried to get them to reauthorize/rehit/repair it (the SubExpireTime is the day it quit working ) but after 4 failed attempts they claim it is the card and they have to do a truck roll. My company doesn't have the best track record with cablecard problems and the answer is always a truck roll. Probably not much different from the incompetence many here face.

My question: Is there any reason to power down the device when replacing a 'bad' card? The reboot procedure is over 5 minutes and can make for some awkward silence Or can I just swap the card, have the tech call in the appropriate numbers and wait to see encrypted channels?

Last edited by dig_duggler; 06-24-2008 at 10:21 AM..
Reason: generality

I FINALLY got my second TiVo HD Series 3 WORKING. After two TiVos...I kind of see a pattern of why I wasn't getting channels on some of my tuners. It took about four calls this time to finally get someone on the phone who would be patient with my assessment of the situation. So...Here are the SECRETS to hopefully get your TiVo running:

First, make sure Comcast has matched the cablecards to the correct host IDs. You can pull out the cards yourself and write down the cablecard numbers. Then go into the Messages and Settings menu. Select Account & System Information menu. Then, the CableCARD Decoders menu. Select Configure CableCARD 1 and then CableCARD Menu. Look for the Host ID Screen (the name is different for Multistream and Singlestream Scientific Atlanta cards). Write down the Host ID number for CableCARD 1 (with the number on the card). Do the same for CableCARD 2. The numbers can get screwed up when the Comcast Rep enters them. If this fails to get your channels working...

Make SURE the Hierarchy of your Comcast equipment is listed correctly on your account. I will try to order this in layman's terms from what I wrote down after I convinced my Comcast Rep to check the equipment order:
Comcast Hierarchy

If you are still missing channels on one or more of your tuners, make sure the TiVo rate is linked to your account (I'm not sure how they do this, I just know not having it messed up my first TiVo HD Series 3).

Dunno if this is where to post it....but I have two M CableCARDs working in my old Series 3 HD Tivo on Comcast Waukegan (far north of Chicago.) This when I was very, very wary of surviving another battle with clueless employees at Comcast.

The installer was given only one card and says that's all they ever get. When he saw I'd need two he had to drive to get the second from another tech.

So after the cable was made live, and my house was prewired in the first place...

I had two sessions of get the card serial number, wait 30 minutes for the one guy who knows how they work at Comcast to call, with the run for the second card in between. Each time he had to "hit it again" for me to see premium channels.

By following the info here an the TiVo FAQ I ended up with three long trips through guided install (which makes no sense for the second card).

I was panicked at first that the Series 3 didn't work with the M card. Reading here and at Tivo I found that's not true.

My scheduled 8-10 install window ran until 2:00PM.

The tech was good. He rang my doorbell at like 8:20 as I was hanging up the phone with his boss telling me he was a mile away. I could see why he hates CableCARDs, but it would have gone a lot better if they had listened to me and given him TWO CableCARDs. I can imagine what would happen if he had a busy upscale customer looking over his shoulder screaming he didn't know what he was doing. (He did.)

I transfered all of Season Passes from my HD DTivo. The bad news: This morning the Series 3 was dead and locked up. I had to power cycle it. I'll accept if it had a brain hemorrhages at the end of a busy day, but I hope it's more reliable than that.

I like finally really getting channels in HD. +

Oh. One issue. The TiVo doesn't have programming for WTTW-DT. It shows "To be announced." So my Season Pass for Newshour, and I assume other PBS shows, doesn't work. What does it take for the guide data to get fixed?

Because mine is already telling me it'll be out of space by the weekend, with the info in the other FAQ, I just ordered a 1TB external hard drive setup with a Hitachi drive.

I have an M card and an S card installed in a Series 3. I am a Charter customer. I finally now receive all channels fine (including HBO, Starz and Showtime) except one. It's a Nickelodeon teen channel called THE N (104 in my area). When I tune to it, I get video for a tenth of a second then the gray and black "Call your cable company " screen. On the Conditional Access screens, it appears that neither card has been validated. Questions:

1. Does it make sense that I would get all the premium channels except one in this scenario? (i.e. is lack of "validation" my problem?)

2. A CSR last night told me validation required a tech visit. I've had 4 tech visits and 6 cards installed in the last two weeks to get me this far. I'm inclined not to schedule another visit for a channel I won't watch much of anyway. Shouldn't I be able to "validate" by phone and, if so, can anyone help me with some buzzwords or phrases to use with the CSR to get this accomplished?

One of my cablecards seems to have lost authorization (series 3). I've tried to get them to reauthorize/rehit/repair it (the SubExpireTime is the day it quit working ) but after 4 failed attempts they claim it is the card and they have to do a truck roll. My company doesn't have the best track record with cablecard problems and the answer is always a truck roll. Probably not much different from the incompetence many here face.

My question: Is there any reason to power down the device when replacing a 'bad' card? The reboot procedure is over 5 minutes and can make for some awkward silence Or can I just swap the card, have the tech call in the appropriate numbers and wait to see encrypted channels?

The reboot can take 5 min or longer, much longer depending on what you have on your HD or HDs. That makes your question even more relevant.

You do not need to reboot when you swap out the cable cards. But you have to reboot after the tech has done with his pairing and authorization of the card. And then do a guide setup again since your channel configuration has changed.

I talked to Tivo and they told me the Host ID stays the same regardless of switching out the CC.

So I'm off to do battle with Comcast.

TiVo should know - but one thing I know with my 5
other DVRs - NOT TiVo - Everytime a Cablecard is
removed and even inserted back into the same DVR
30 seconds later - THE PAIRING INFO CHANGES and
Comcast needs to do it all over again.

I'm now on my 4th cable card install try (Mcard). The first three generated an error code of 161-38.

This may sound odd, but if you get the card paired and authorized and this error code is your remaining issue, have you tried just letting it "bake" for 24 hrs? I saw this code on my THD during card install and first 12 or so hours afterwards, but I get all my channels so I let it alone and haven't seen that code again. In other threads, others have reported the same experience.

This may sound odd, but if you get the card paired and authorized and this error code is your remaining issue, have you tried just letting it "bake" for 24 hrs? I saw this code on my THD during card install and first 12 or so hours afterwards, but I get all my channels so I let it alone and haven't seen that code again. In other threads, others have reported the same experience.

I'm on the 4th CC now, no error code (yet). With the previous 3 cards, the error code came up before they could even be authorized or paired.

The current CC seems to be receiving info from the headend (EMM count keeps going up) but still isn't "authorized".

The last Comcast rep I spoke with sounded at least somewhat familiar with CCs and corrected the serial number of the card (which was incorrect in their system - no wonder the prior 3 calls produced no results. Ugh.). He resent the (HOPEFULLY) proper signals.

I'm going to let it sit overnight and see if that does any good. If not, I guess I'll spending Sunday on the phone with Comcast.

As TiVo gets busy for downloading a lot of channel info in the setup stage, not while it's running normally, I don't think that could have been causing the case. And the Firmware Upgrade doesn't happen while it's running regularly. It displays a special message on screen and stop doing everything but upgrading firmware. So, this shouldn't be the case either. Moreover, the error of 161-38 indicates that that's caused by CableCARD, not TiVo.
That being said, I am seeing exactly the same symptom - no single hitch after the first day. I am feeling uncomfortable with it but can't complain since no errors :-/

i would seem to indicate that after 24hours the card will settle down and stop giving the error.

Hopefully a quick question: How should cablecards be physically handled? by that i mean should you hold them in your bare hands without danger of shorting them out. I only ask because the last tech that was at my house to install a CC just carried it in his hand, turning it over and over in his hands like it was a credit card.

Hopefully a quick question: How should cablecards be physically handled? by that i mean should you hold them in your bare hands without danger of shorting them out. I only ask because the last tech that was at my house to install a CC just carried it in his hand, turning it over and over in his hands like it was a credit card.

They are not that fragile. Have you ever messed with a pcmcia card? About the same size and feel.

So after 3 more long calls with Comcast CSRs who were unable to get the CC initialized and paired I finally asked for a truck roll this morning. They were able to schedule one for this afternoon (very unusual!).

Tech showed up, I was a little concerned because he said he hadn't done a Tivo CC install in "a while", but had done quite a few in December.

They couldn't get the last CC I picked up from the Comcast office to work, so he tried one he had picked up at the warehouse that morning and VOILA, it worked like a charm. Took about 10 minutes for the channels to show up, but once they did everything worked perfectly.

His supervisor said that most of the cards customers pick up themselves don't seem to work. They don't know why but it seems to just be that way. The tech said he has had few problems with the cards they get from the warehouse.

He agreed that training on CC Tivo activation/pairing seems to be a low priority for the callcenters.

But all is sunshine and ponies now because I've got my TIVO back!

Edited to add:
The only thing the installer did that I DIDN'T do was call his dispatch center. I asked him why they didn't just give customers a dedicated number to call instead of making us call the 800 number and deal with often clueless reps, especially since there doesn't seem to be a high volume of Tivo users at the moment (he said they got a flood of Tivo CC installs right around Christmas but haven't had very many since then). He replied with a sheepish grin and a shoulder shrug. Can't really blame him.

Also, just to clarify, the Host ID NEVER changed from cable card to cable card (the Data ID did change). FIVE different cable cards. So if comcast tries to tell you that it should they are wrong.

Also, the installer confirmed that the 161-38 error is a cable card issue, not a Tivo issue.

Atlantic broadband told me to pickup the m card for the TIVO HD and install myself

What are the steps that I have to take to get all the channels

Is it easy to do myself

Thank You

Fred

Your TiVo came with a cable card installation sheet or you can find the instructions here. You'll need the cable card activation telephone number from your cable company so you can call in and give them the numbers that they're looking for. That will allow them to "pair" your cable card. (That's usually where people run into trouble as most cable companies don't want anyone but their techs calling in.) Other than that just follow the directions and you should be fine.

Once your cable card is properly set up, just run Guided Setup from the Settings menu and everything should be working.

Can anyone comment on the ability of the Original Series 3 and it's use of CableCards: either s-card OR m-card?
I do recall that the new Tivo HD units do make use of the m-cards (only one needed for both tuners) but the original Series 3 requires 2 s-cards or 2 m-cards to enable both tuners.
Did the Summer Update change this requirement?

Series 3 will require two cards, I beleive it is a hardware issue not software.
Tivo has discontinued the Series 3 in favor of the Tivo HD so I don't think you will eveer see the Series 3 using a single card.

Series 3 will require two cards, I beleive it is a hardware issue not software.
Tivo has discontinued the Series 3 in favor of the Tivo HD so I don't think you will ever see the Series 3 using a single card.

TivoPony stated in the forums that it was technically possible, but the feature and investment in time did not justify the R&D.

So I will have to get the two S or M-cards either way. I was hoping to reduce my already sky-high cable bill a little.

How about one card and continue with OTA HD? Would Tivo know that it would need to record form the CC for those channels that it cannot get from the OTA input? Or would it not record something because it was recording from the CC that which it could get from the OTA input?

I've narrowed down my issue as not having the most up to date firmware on my cablecard with my Tivo HD. My cable company seems to give all their boxes firmware updates but the latest I have is from April 2007. Anybody know how to update the firmware??